Hexagram 38: Kuí 睽

What hexagram 38 means

Fire rises while the Lake beneath it settles downward, two natural movements heading in opposite directions. Real differences can still leave room for cooperation on the specific point where interests overlap.

A question to sit with

Where do our different directions still overlap enough to cooperate?

The six lines, bottom to top

A changing line is read on its own. These are original reflections written for this site, not a translation.

Line 1 · The beginning

A horse that has wandered off need not be chased, since it often finds its own way back. Early in a disagreement, allowing space and meeting even difficult people civilly can prevent a deeper split.

Line 2 · The inner position

Meeting someone important in a narrow lane suggests contact through an informal route. When the formal way is blocked, an unplanned conversation in the right spirit can do what an official meeting could not.

Line 3 · The threshold

A cart stuck fast with its team refusing to move makes for a bruising opening. Rough early going and a sound finish can belong to the same story, so keep faith with the direction even when obstacles pile up.

Line 4 · Entering the outer

Standing alone in a disagreement can feel colder than the disagreement itself. As you move outward, a single person you can rely on may change the whole temperature of the situation.

Line 5 · The position of authority

An ally who cuts straight through what separates you shows how thin the barrier really was. From a position of responsibility, reaching towards someone of like mind is worth doing even if it looks unconventional.

Line 6 · The end, and excess

The image of a drawn bow slowly lowered belongs to suspicion that turns out to be a misreading. Check whether what you fear is real, since someone taken for a threat may be offering friendship.